TN Water Resources Department seeks funds to clear vegetation in Cauvery river

The proposal focuses on the stretch between Musiri and Kallanai, where overgrowth is reportedly obstructing the natural flow of water.

Officials from the River Conservation Sub-Division of the WRD confirmed, in a Right to Information (RTI) response to C. Yoganathan, president of the Ayyaru River Protection and Tanks Rejuvenation Association, that a formal request has been submitted seeking fund allocation for the clearance project.

Once approval is granted, a detailed estimate will be prepared and sent to the government for financial sanction.

According to Yoganathan, the Cauvery bed between Thottiyam and Kallanai has become overrun with trees and vegetation, significantly reducing the river's water-carrying capacity and posing a potential flood threat during the monsoon season.

Once a vital source of irrigation and drinking water, the river is now struggling due to unchecked vegetative growth.

Farmers, especially those in and around Musiri, have urged the state government to expedite the clearing process before the scheduled release of water from the Mettur dam on June 12. They also blamed rampant sand mining for the riverbed's degradation.

According to them, miners have replaced the river's natural sandy base with uneven, clay-heavy stretches, which promote dense plant growth.

A senior WRD official explained that the process of preparing an estimate requires coordination among the WRD, Forest, and Revenue Departments.

"The Forest Department must enumerate and evaluate the number and types of trees present, while the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) must approve any tree-felling operations," the official said.

Once funds are sanctioned, the department will begin clearing the vegetation, removing dunes, and dismantling temporary roads laid for sand mining.

The government typically allots Rs 5.94 per square metre of area cleared, the officials added.